Fitness Tips Blog

What's your favorite time to exercise and why?

"My favorite time to exercise is at 4 a.m. It is not only quiet, but there is no one else around and it enables me to have time for just me. It lets me reflect on the day, catch up on the news, and have a great workout. Plus, it's over early!"

"With my schedule as a trainer, my favorite time to work out is right around noon. I have the opportunity to train amazing clients in the morning and during the evening. This allows me to have time mid-day to enjoy a variety of fun workouts, such as running on the soft sand of the beach, skating the longboard down the boardwalk, or surfing some great waves if the tide is right. My noon workouts allow me to continue my fitness journey as well as the ability to enjoy the amazing environment that Southern California has to offer!"

"My favorite time to exercise is mid-day, either before or after lunch. If after lunch, I make sure I have a light meal and wait at least an hour before exercising. That time of day helps break up my day and gets me energized to get over the hump!"

"Having a “favorite time” is a bit of a trap. What happens when you can’t work out at your “favorite time”? I have learned, over time, that my favorite time to exercise is when I am exercising.

"Life has a way of taking over. If we're not careful, the exercise time can get pushed aside for other things that crowd the day timer. Sure, we all have "body clocks." And for some -- including me -- there are better times for my workouts based on my body clock. But life may not be so in tune with our body clocks.

"The bottom line is that working out when you might not be feeling your best is good mental and physical medicine. You showed up; that’s half the battle. You suited up and you saddled up. In the end you feel mentally better due to not “bailing out” on your exercise and taking a step backward physically. And chances are once your heart rate came up exercising, you got after it, had a good session, and were grateful for the experience."

"I personally like to exercise in the morning as it is the time of day that works best for me. But whenever you can burn calories -- morning, evening or mid-day -- is the best time of day as long as you do it!

"Whichever time of day you get in a major “bout” of calorie-burning activity is up to your personal schedule. Ideally, you’ll want to get in a planned exercise bout in addition to being physically active throughout the day, such as parking farther away from the store and taking the stairs instead of the elevator."